Twenty Years

"Who will wear the hat" = "who will be in control?"

To me this song is a criticism of the world around us, full of "designer fakes" and that through your life there'll people who'll you use you ("some hold the rope"). But there's some optimism in that "some hold the rose". It's about figuring out your life basically. "You're the truth not I" to me is directed perhaps at the fans, that the "truth" about our lives doesn't come from Molko, it's something we have to find out for ourselves.

Okay, fun time is starting now: Basicaly, what I gather from the song is that there is only the future. Friends will help and hurt us; someone will have control in the relationship; that there's more to life than what is in front of us. The line "them's the breaks" pretty much means you can't stop what's already started; You're powerless to stop fate. "Designer fakes" is obvious - we try too hard to be what others want us to be that we're no longer ourselves. The line "you're the truth not I" only reiterates this - only a truly innocent person who is free from the crowd can be the "truth", i.e. they are 'rea', not 'fake'. They shine through. The whole song has a fatalistic view to it, but optimism does have some undertones here.

I think that this part of the lyrics is inaccurate.

Reanimation, you're wrong. one of the things i like about Placebo is Brian's clear pronunciation when he sings. it's definitely "for we designer fakes".

and "them's the breaks" is an expression. "them's" means "those are" and the expression means something like "sh*t happens" or "c'est la vie"

There are twenty years to go, And many friends I’d hope, Though some may hold the rose, some hold the rope.

I hope in the next twenty years there will be many friends surrounding me, although some of them will die (hold the rose (you now like laying in a coffin)) and some of them succeed in holding te rope (hang on to life, live long, survive)

What about that?

"There are twenty years to go, And twenty ways to know, Who will wear, Who will wear the hat."

This comes across as who will wear down or break down each year within the twenty years. "Who will wear the hat" means who will still be around each year within the twenty years. This lyrical segment is restated with "Though some may hold the rose, some hold the rope.".

"You're the truth not I"

In my opinion, that line means the truth is the by-product of the twenty years, which is the future self. Metaphorically, the twenty years have been condensed down. All the interactions, friendships, experiences, etc. you've accumulated in those short twenty years has made you into the individual you are, the truth...

"That’s the end and that’s the start of it, That’s the whole and that the part of it, That’s the high and that’s the heart of it, That’s the long and that’s the short of it, That’s the best and that’s the test of it, That’s the doubt; doubt the trust in it, That’s the sight and that’s the sound of it, That’s the gift, that’s the trick in it."

This elaborates on "You're the truth not I". How? Eight descriptive lines are followed by eight repeats of "You're the truth not I", which they make sense when applied in conjunction.

I relate to this song in the sense that I've plotted out the next twenty years of my life with a high degree of malleability, though the end goal is still the same. Sometimes, I think about all the joys, pains, laughs, sorrows, friends, random strangers, new perspectives, etc. I will experience and encounter. I know in twenty years I will be a different person, I will be a by-product of the twenty years. My future self is the truth of the twenty years. My future self is the truth not I.

Just my perspective, which I sometimes feel like I'm in a cocoon...

im not sure wot its about but i think that the line "some may hold the rose, some hold the rope" means that some friends will love u as a rose is a symbol for love and the rope is like a noose to hang youself in i think.... awesum line though

Perhaps my favorite Placebo song. The video was really good, too. The meaning is pretty obvious, isn't it? Basically, "there's time left, we can't control it, but I hope everything will be great." And the part about friends just slayed me...since all my friends are depressed anyway...kinda creepy to hear that in a song. I can't decide if this song depresses me (I wanna be in control, damnit!) or gives me hope. Dragonkat, you're right...reminds me of bowie, too.

"Who will wear the hat." stands for who will take responsibility when the end comes.

"There are twenty years to go, The best of all I’d hope, Enjoy the ride, the medicine show.

Them’s the breaks, For we designer fakes, We need to concentrate on more than meets the eye." i believe that these two stanzas belong together and mean that hoping for the best in life and getting on the bandwagon with everyone else is as far as the "designer fakes" get in their thought process and that they need to look deeper into what's happening in the world.

"There are twenty years to go, The faithful and the low, The best of starts; the broken heart; the stone.

There are twenty years to go, The punch-drunk and the blow, The worst of starts; the mercy part; the phone." these stanzas stand for the different stages and encounters that occur in life and also how the "designer fakes" again in the next stanza stop their thought about such things at the simple phrases at the end of these stanzas. they only scratch the surface of the situation its self. the stone stands for the grave, by the way. the final line means a person starts of life badly finally finds a streak of good luck and then either gets a phonecall that ruins it or a call is made to someone close that something bad has happened.

"There are twenty years to go, A golden age, I know, But all will pass will end to fast, you know" life is a gift but will end all to fast

"There are twenty years to go, And many friends I’d hope, Though some may hold the rose, some hold the rope." though some friends may attract you due to popularity and beauty (rose)they are "designer fakes". others are truely the ones who will guide you along and save you when you are in need (i.e. they will hold the rope)they are real friends

"That’s the end and that’s the start of it, That’s the whole and that's the part of it, That’s the high and that’s the heart of it, That’s the long and that’s the short of it, That’s the best and that’s the test of it, That’s the doubt; doubt the trust in it, That’s the sight and that’s the sound of it, That’s the gift, that’s the trick in it." this entire section is not all that complicated. it simpley states that the artist believes that what he's said is truth and that he has stated his pure and untainted opinion. it is also a disclaimer stating that you should develope your own opinion on what he's said

"you're the truth not i" means that you cant take his word for it and to form our own opinions. we are going to be the truth as the youth of the nation and create the truth with our future (i.e. 20 years until we create the real truth. we will be grown and influencing the world).

i love this song and i hope that my interpretation will help some of you find a bit more understanding.

great song. placebo's slower stuff i normally find it a bit dull but this song is definitely well done

This song seems a bit on the fatalist side. Sort of like Bowie's "Five Years". That's the feeling it evokes in ME, anyway.

Lovely, weird little song.